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Warder History
History of Warders according to The Wheel of Time There is very little known about the history of the Warders. It could be possible that Warders were used during the turmoil of the Breaking to protect Aes Sedai from harm because many people believed that the Aes Sedai were in large part responsible for the Breaking. This is just speculation however. RP Warder Division History The Warder Bond dates back to the Breaking. People were desperate to cling to anything that would give them a sense of safety and security and those who could channel were no exception. Aes Sedai were in disarray, wandering the world in small groups or individually, unlike during the Age of Legends. The common folk often held that the Aes Sedai were responsible for the Breaking, not differentiating between the male and female Aes Sedai although it was in fact the male Aes Sedai who were breaking the world. Aes Sedai were often attacked out of fear and ignorance and some died as a result. Some of the Aes Sedai began to feel that they were in need of some form of protection because as they well knew the One Power could not save them from a well-placed arrow loosed from the shadows. As a result, some Aes Sedai began collecting warriors to provide them with the protection they needed. At first these were either single warriors or bands of mercenaries. While somewhat effective, these warriors often fought for their own reasons. For the right price a warrior might be convinced to betray the woman he had signed on to protect. This was obviously an unacceptable arrangement, as it did not guarantee the Aes Sedai the protection and safety that they desired. Using information preserved from the time before the madness the Aes Sedai began bonding these men to them, using the One Power to ensure that these Warriors would be dedicated to their service above all else. In some cases this bonding was consensual, but often times it was done against the man's will, although the Aes Sedai felt that it was a necessity. It soon became apparent to both the Aes Sedai and those that they had bonded that there were inherent advantages for both parties. The bonded warriors were given gifts such as the ability to go long periods of time without food, water or rest, quick healing, and the ability to sense the taint of the Dark One from a distance. Some Aes Sedai began calling their bonded warriors Gaidin, meaning Brother to Battle. What the Aes Sedai receives from the bond is a closely held secret however. In 47 AB (after the Breaking) an attempt was made to reform the Aes Sedai into a more cohesive unit. The world was still in chaos and the Aes Sedai needed to become a force again if the world were to survive. After many years of negotiations between the bands of Aes Sedai who roamed the world, a decision was made in 98 AB to construct a city that would become the center of Aes Sedai power and unity. Ogier were brought in to construct this city on an Island in the middle of the river Erinin. The building took 104 years of continuous construction and was finally completed in 202 AB. The city was named Tar Valon, the first major city to be constructed after the Breaking that still survives today. During this time, as the Aes Sedai gathered, more and more began to see the wisdom of having Gaidin. The bonding of warriors, also becoming known as Warders,became a much more common practice, although not all Aes Sedai believed in it. In addition, it was also necessary to have some sort of fighting force in order to help protect Tar Valon from attack. The Amyrlin Seat at the time decided to use the Warders, selected by the Aes Sedai that bonded them because of their prowess, to train men into a cohesive fighting force. The central structure on the island of Tar Valon had become known as the White Tower. As a result, those who were in training were called Tower Trainees, and when they completed their training they were given the title of Tower Guard. The training they received was far superior to that which most common fighters and mercenaries received on their own and many Aes Sedai would select from the Tower Guard when looking for warriors to bond. The greatest Gaidin at this time was Joce Bodec, Warder to the Amyrlin Seat. Most of the Warders looked to him for guidance and instruction, and he was given the informal title Master of Arms. Joce understood the importance of the job of a Warder and made it his personal mission to constantly improve their skills because he knew full well the importance of their reason for existence, to protect and to serve the Aes Sedai of the White Tower. As the unquestioned leader of the Warders it was natural that he was looked at to become the leader of the Tower Guard as well. For many years he split his time between training other Warders, supervising the security of the White Tower and overseeing the training of the Tower Guard. It became obvious however that leading both the Warders and the Tower Guard was too much for one man so he decided to divide up the duties amongst other Warders, although they would ultimately answer to him. Looking amongst the ranks of the Gaidin he selected Roald Balfour to become the new leader of the Tower Guard and gave him the title Chief of Tower Security. The training of the Tower Trainees was entrusted to Tevin Amalar, who was called the Master of Training. The Warders and Tower Guard evolved greatly over the years, as did the nature of the bonding of Gaidin. The forced bonding of warriors became taboo and nowadays is considered a form of rape in many Aes Sedai's minds. The different Ajah's developed their own traditions regarding Warders. For reasons of their own the Blue, Brown, Gray, White and Yellow Ajah's would not bond more than one Warder. The Green Ajah on the other hand often bonded many Warders, feeling that there was strength in numbers. The Red Ajah does not bond any warriors at all. For over twenty years, Ben Gaidin acted as the Master of Arms, training the Warders and growing in his own skill until none could match him. Two years ago, for reasons only he truly knows, Ben stepped down as Master of Arms. He handed the honor over to the current Master of Arms, Alin Gaidin. Shoar Gaidin acts as the Chief of Security and Nikita Locksley is the Mistress of Training. The White Tower remains a center for weapons training that surpasses that of any other organization and Kings and Queens often send their sons to train. Not everyone who trains in the White Tower will become a Warder. Many are content simply to be members of the Tower Guard. It is a difficult path and only the best of the best ever succeed in achieving the honorable title of Gaidin Change in the Tower Guard The Tower Guard have a long and honourable history stretching as far back as the founding of the White Tower. When the first foundations were being laid, the first Tower Guard patrolled the Aes Sedai encampments under the command of Aes Sedai and when Joce Bodec was formally recognised as the Master of Arms, it was Roald Balfour that became the first Chief of Security. The Chief of Security was initially responsible for the Tower Guard, but later came to also take on the responsibility of Tar Valon's city watch and later, Tar Valon's military. Only having a basic structure due to their simple duties as guardsmen, it wasn't until the Trolloc Wars that the Tower Guard developed further. Not only serving as guardsmen anymore but also participating in battles frequently, the Tower Guard was forced to redevelop along strict military guidelines. The Chief of Security became the Commander of the Tower Guard specifically while surrendering other powers to the Generals of the army and Captains of the City Watch. Ranks were well established in the Tower Guard and Captains had fixed companies to command with personal lieutenants. Acting as specialist units and guards for Aes Sedai during battles, the Tower Guard suffered a high attrition rate during the course of the war, but nevertheless persisted and survived the Trolloc Wars intact. The last major war that the White Tower ever participated in directly behind them, the Tower Guard over the years slowly relaxed back to their original system under a Chief of Security which relied on deputising responsibility and rank when the time came, rather than a permanent military hierarchy. Change from this system wasn't to occur until the last Chief of Security, Shoar Daemor, resigned his post. The position of Chief of Security was divided, and control of the Tower Guard went to the newly forged position of Commander of the Tower Guard, taken by Evan Tremaine. After hundreds of years, the leader of the Tower Guard's sole concern was the Tower Guard itself once more. The motivations behind the divide were due to events that were beginning to move throughout the land, more False Dragon's were appearing, and attacks on the Borderlands by shadowspawn were on the increase. Before Evan Tremaine could put anything to effect, a horde of shadowspawn launched an attack against Tar Valon itself. During the battle where the forces of Tar Valon met the horde head on, most of the Tower Guard committed to the battle, including Evan Tremaine himself, were lost. Following him came Con Stavros, the last person expected to take on the position of Commander. Over time, the problems of the current system became apparent to Con. Based on simply age and a general deference, in larger engagements which were becoming more frequent, the Tower Guard didn't have the level of organisation that other armies and military units possessed, and even if they had better individual training, discipline on a battlefield always won the day over individual skill. When the Amyrlin Karana Maijin was succeeded by Amyrlin Lanfir Leah Marithsen of the Green Ajah, the time was ripe for reform in the Tower Guard. Under Con Stavros direction, the Tower Guard military hierarchy of the Trolloc Wars was reinstituted with only marginal changes and then maintained by Elia. In the days ahead, there would be a need for a Tower Guard that was capable of more than walking the walls and being handy with a blade. The Stone had fallen, the sign of the beginning of the end, Tarmon Gaidon. In the days ahead, battles would come, and the Tower Guard would be ready to serve once more, as it had in the days of the Trolloc Wars. Change in Master at Arms Get Alin and Reikan to some sort of agreement. Reikan to Borac Gaidin. Borac to Bryon Greigor. Change in Mistress of Trainees Upon assumption of Reikan’s new position as Master at Arms he found the his first major job to be confronting the current Mistress of Trainees on behavior unfitting of the position. Matalina was a friend from childhood and the interaction between the two had be laid back since Reikan’s return to the Tower. Matalina’s current dispoition and her flaunting of her love affair with Alexander Namere made her unfit for her position, her actions were not something Reikan felt would acure good relations with the Trainees and their training, so he removed Matalina from her duties and Assigned Morgan Trelend as Mistress of Trainees. Due to reasons unforseen at the time of Reikan’s appointment of Morgan Trelend as Mistress of Trainees, Morgan was forced to stepped down of her own free will. Lyv Tylin is now Mistress of Trainees. Lyv held the position for many years but eventually stepped down of her own free will. Her successor also held the job longer than most. Thera Trakelyn was an most unlikely canidate for Mistress of Trainee's. For one she had never been the model of dicipline, and two she was a warder. Many muttered that her bond would get in the way of her duties, but she proved them all wrong. With Serena (her Aes Sedai) grounded in the Tower Thera had more than enough time to complete her duties; some said too much time. She would go down as one of the toughest Mitress of Trainees of all time. Ginae to Thera Category:World Lore Category:All Category:Warders